In 2018, the Ohio Pet Fund is awarding 150 grants statewide to qualifying Ohio municipal animal shelters and non-profits. And for the second year in a row, Pets In Need of Greater Cincinnati has received a grant from the Ohio Pet Fund for spay/neuter assistance. The $3,000 grant will subsidize the cost of spay and neuter surgeries for approximately 50 cats and 30 dogs through the PIN Clinic.

The nonprofit, the only of its kind in Greater Cincinnati, exclusively serves those clients who are living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty limit.

“We’re not a rescue, we’re not a shelter, we don’t house animals,” Executive Director of PINAnn Hill said. “We’re there just to serve those people who are having a hard time affording their pets.”

PIN helps pets and the people next to them. They assist in pet care for homeless individuals and elderly who often times have pets that mean the world to them. While some people believe that you shouldn’t have a pet if you can’t take care of it, PIN operates under the belief that everyone should have a pet and have access to the tools and resources needed to take care of that pet as well.

Currently, PIN sees clients and their pets from several counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. In 2017, the organization conducted 5,442 vet exams and provided 535 spay or neuter vouchers. Clients using these and other services provided by PIN must apply with the organization first.

The application process begins with an in-person conversation between the interested client and the Pets in Need staff. The customer must also provide proof that their income qualifies for the service. If approved, the customer will be issued a one-year PIN ID card, allowing them to make appointments with the nonprofit’s vets when needed.

PIN provide services including treatment for minor health issues, vaccinations, vouchers for spay and neutering procedures and recommendations for other providers should the pets require more than what the organization itself can provide.

Run by paid staff and volunteers alike, the organization boasted over 4,000 pets enrolled with the organization in 2015 and looks to expand both the clinic and their practice reach in the future.

The organization is celebrating another major milestone in 2018. Pets In Need is celebrating five years of serving the Cincinnati region.

The 2nd annual Ice Cream Social at the Pets In Need Clinic, located on W. Wyoming Avenue in Cincinnati, will be held on Sunday July 15th from noon to 3 p.m. A free community event, the social will offer pizza, ice cream, games, music and more. To register for the event, click here.

To learn more about Pets In Need or to see if you qualify for their services, please visit here.